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It's probably
wrong for a dad to review a movie like "Camp Rock."
Dads don't know squat about movies and music that
appeals to tween and teenage girls. I'll
probably get emails from fans of the movie and fans of
the Jonas Bros. for saying "mean things" about the movie
and the music. As I tell my daughter, I don't mean to be
mean. Critical, yes. Mean, nah!
"Camp Rock: Extended Rock Star Edition" is now available
on DVD.
Going to camp has changed a lot since I was a kid. My
parents sent me to a camp with a bunch of strangers and
we had to sleep in a cabin with a roof made of trash bag
material. We were there to meet new friends (who we'd
never see again), learn about nature, and take home some
good and not-so-good memories of camp. Now there are camps for artists, musicians and
promising rocket scientists. "Camp Rock" would be ideal
for an aspiring rock star. You've got the cute kids, a
cool camp counselor, incredible bonfires by a
picturesque lake, and everyone sings, dances and plays
musical instruments with near perfection. Everyone is
pretty or handsome.
The story deals with a perky girl named Mitchie (Demi
Lovato) who wants not only to be a pop star, but wants
to go to Camp Rock. She runs into the popular singing
diva of the camp, Tess Tyler (Meaghan Jette Martin), who
tries to knock the talented Mitchie down a few rungs.
Coming to the camp to teach is rock star Shane Gray (Joe
Jonas). He hears Mitchie singing and just has to find
that girl.
So here's the "mean" part of this review. As much as
I've enjoyed Disney Channel's other big production, the
original "High School Musical," I didn't enjoy "Camp
Rock" that much. The story uses all the cliches used in
current tween/teen movies like "Bratz," or television
shows like "That's So Raven." The ingredients for a
movie like this include mixing in a talented & innocent
girl, a snobby rich girl who tries to ruin the talented
girl's musical aspirations, a hunk who also sings and
dances, and a big finale involving a talent show. "Camp
Rock" combines these elements and the movie feels like
it's painted-by-numbers. The movie doesn't seem to have
the energy and sweetness that "High School Musical" and
"High School Musical 2" had. This may be an unfair
comparison between the two franchises, but they're
essentially cut from the same cloth. This isn't to say
that the "Camp Rock" production is not worth seeing (I'm
sure that most kids have already seen this movie at
least once, or twice...), but if I had to chose which
movie franchise to watch, my preference leans more to
those wholesome kids of East High.
The cast is good in the movie. Demi Lovato comes in a
long line of Disney Channel stars who can act, sing and
dance. She has a very sweet smile and that Lizzie
McGuire/Gabriella Montez perky quality to her. She
lights up the screen. Her friend in the movie, Caitlyn
(played by actress Alison Stoner), is underused. Stoner
is also multitalented and though there are some dance
numbers in the movie, Stoner could've been allowed to
show off her dancing skills more prominently. She's a
good actress and the script places her as a sidekick
without a lot to say. Joe Jonas does a respectable job
in the role as the rock star who dreads teaching at Camp
Rock. The other Jonas Bros. in the movie, Kevin & Nick,
are given thankless walk-on roles and are there as an
excuse to have the band on-screen.
Now this is the part where I get even more mean. Girls.
Moms. Dads who might like the Jonas Bros. I don't think
the Jonas Bros. are all "that." As talented as these
young guys are, I don't believe they're on a level with
other bands who started out young. I must be showing my
age here, because I don't think for a minute that the
Jonas Bros. can be compaired to the early incarnations
of U2, the Rolling Stones, The Beatles, or Stevie
Wonder. I almost fell out of my chair when I saw that
the latest Jonas Bros. album, "A Little Bit Longer,"
received four stars in Rolling Stone. With the near
hysteria and skillfully marketed hype over this band,
you'd think The Beatles had been reborn. Sorry, but this
is very clever marketing and bombardment by Disney to
create fans of the Jonas Bros. They may have stalled
last year with their re-worded remake of the Kim Wilde
song, "Kids of America." But they got a huge boost by
being plugged on "Hannah Montana" and in the 3-D movie
of Hannah Montana.
I probably know more
about the Jonas Bros. than I could ever want. After
watching Disney Channel with my daughter, there is a
constant barrage of all things Jonas Bros. I've listened to these brothers sing and play everyday at home
or in the car. The vocals, lead by Nick and Kevin, sound
almost identical to each other. The songs sound like
they have riffs from 1980s ballads. This isn't a slam
against the Jonas Brothers' talent, but I guess I can
only take so much teenage crooning and high pitched
vocals. They remind of me of some of the high school
bands I grew up with. The girls loved them, even they
didn't sing that well, and most of us guys hated them.
(I don't hate the Jonas Bros. I'm sure they're great
guys). I just don't care for their music (it's true, I
am a mean old man!)
"Camp Rock" isn't the best Disney Channel production.
It's a pretty easy movie to watch, and I'm sure that
many tween and teen girls love this movie. It ain't my
cup 'o tea, but then again, maybe I'm just a mean old
man.
Bill Kallay
Special thanks to Click Communications
Photos: © Disney. All rights reserved.
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